A 9-11 Memory Will Never Fade by Bobby Eberle, PhD, Contributor and President/CEO, GOPUSA

September
11, 2003

This week, America will mark the two-year anniversary of the worst attack on
American soil in our history. We will likely see video footage and photographic
images of the horrible events that opened our eyes and forever changed our outlook
on terrorism and our role in the world community. But, more than any news report
or photo or radio account, the most powerful memories will be invoked by recalling
our own personal experiences on that fateful day. Where were you on September
11, 2001? It's a question people often ask each other. I remember exactly where
I was and what I saw. What I often wonder is "why." Why did I see
what no person should ever have to see?

As a resident of Houston, Texas and doing the work that I do, I am not a frequent
traveler. I had visited our nation's capitol several times over the years, the
most recent trip prior to 9-11-01 being the presidential inauguration in January.
That trip was a thrill to say the least, and as my wife and I returned home,
I was already looking forward to future trips to Washington.

In September 2001, as my company began to grow and reach more people, I thought
the timing was right to return to Washington to promote the venture on Capitol
Hill. I was invited to attend a conference in DC which was scheduled for September
9-11, and I knew that would be the perfect occasion to do some corporate promoting
in addition to attending the conference events.

September 11, 2001 was a bright and brilliant day in Washington, DC. I had enjoyed
two full days of policy briefings and discussions, and on that Tuesday, I was
looking forward to doing something a bit different. After briefly attending
the final day of the conference in the morning, my plan was to spend the rest
of the day seeing the marvelous sights that Washington, DC has to offer and
visiting Capitol Hill.

Driving in from Virginia with the top down on my friend's convertible, I was
enjoying the clear blue sky and crisp air. I also paid moderate attention to
the news radio station that my friend tuned in. I'm not a regular listener of
news radio, but that morning was different. We had already seen reports on television
of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. We thought it was a very
odd event, so we dialed in the news as we drove into town. At about 9:15 a.m.,
we heard reports of the second attack.

There was no doubt in our minds that America was now the victim of terrorism.
What we did not realize was that the attacks were not over. We would learn that
soon enough.

With the Pentagon in sight, the roar of jet engines quickly filled the air.
I looked over my left shoulder and saw the aircraft only a couple hundred feet
over head. It was so loud and so low and so fast, and I knew in an instant that
something was terribly wrong. I wanted to scream, but the only words that would
come out were "Oh no." A few seconds later, American Airlines Flight
77 flew into the Pentagon and exploded in a burst of flame right in front of
my eyes.

Traffic on the freeway ground to a halt as people started to comprehend the
meaning of black smoke pouring from the Pentagon. Tears streamed down the face
of the woman in the car behind us. She looked ahead in utter shock and seemed
frozen in time. I could not help but wonder if another attack was headed our
way. Every loud noise caused me to jump, and I found myself looking to the horizon
to see if another plane was coming.

I was a zombie for the rest of the day -- glued to the television, just waiting
for something new to be reported. I watched the scenes from New York over and
over again, but I could not get the vision out of my head of what I had witnessed
that morning. Why was I in Washington? Why did I see Flight 77? I often ask
myself these questions, and wonder if there was a grand plan or simply blind
luck. In any case, I along with the rest of the country was changed forever.

America is a strong, vibrant nation, and what the world often fails to realize
and the al Qaeda terror network dramatically underestimated is the power of
the American spirit. Especially when faced with adversity, America comes together
unlike any nation on earth.

A fight was brought to our shores on September 11, 2001, and we have taken that
fight back to the terrorists. We will win this fight for one simple reason --
our cause is just. Rather than fighting for land or wealth or power, America
fights for something more precious: freedom.

Why did I see Flight 77? I don't know. But I do know that I am committed to
America as the shining beacon of democracy in the world. The terrorists may
very well strike again, but we are not going anywhere. We will not run; we will
not hide. We will fight for freedom, and freedom will prevail. ***

Bobby Eberle is President and CEO of GOPUSA,
a news, information, and commentary company based in Houston, TX. He holds a
Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Rice University.